Thursday, January 7, 2010

Am I wrong? Bus ride hell...

These people that ride the bus with me each day are absolute idiots. Half-wits, dumb-bunnies, goof-balls, nuts. This would be so entertaining if it didn't drive me so crazy. I rode two different buses this week. Two days on the one route, and two days on the other. Both routes are commuter routes. These buses are filled with people carrying briefcases disguised as backpacks. These people are wearing slacks, not "pants". They wear hard soled shoes that do not come with steel-toes, nor broken in "tennies". These people have earbuds and Kindles(tm) and read newspapers (that one has to pay for) when they are riding the bus. Moreover they ride the bus pretty much every work day. They know the "rules" to getting on and off the bus in a crowd. They understand not to hum along out loud to the music coming from the earbuds. They know how to pay their bus fare efficiently, whether with coins or bills or sliding cards or tap cards, they got it down and they keep the line moving.

My issue is at the end; at the end of the day, at the end of the ride, at the end of the route. I live in the north county. I am "up there". The bus ride from the time we leave downtown Seattle to the time we come to my stop, the last stop on the route, takes between half an hour and an hour depending on traffic. Both routes that serve me best have their respective last stop at the two different "Park & Ride"s in the north where I can leave my truck. What hit me this week is that this same event is happening regardless of which bus I take. It must be happening on buses all around the world. Just think of the implications, this same phenomena is more than likely occurring in Budapest, Hungary, somewhere in Bogota, Columbia and probably even on the Isle of Man. You can't deny this. I will have to get over it. There is nothing for it.

This amazing moment of stupidity happens each night as the bus driver makes the announcement detailing the last stop on the route over the PA system to all of us 10 to 25 riders still on the bus. Yes, folks, 10 to 25 people are still riding the bus after everyone else has already gotten off at their respective stops, and are probably home by now by the way. Each driver says, "Last stop for Route [insert bus number here]." It is not until that announcement and it is always after that announcement that some poor panic'd fool feels the burning need to pull the cord to notify the driver to stop for that next and final stop. Well, duh. Did they think the driver is going to take us home with her? Dipsoid.


"Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination" Mark Twain

5 comments:

  1. If there was a bus stop where I work and it was available at 5:30 AM, I might use it to get there. However, 3 ifs = 0
    :-)

    "Last stop" is obviously a panic trigger for some. Perhaps they are afraid the bus disappears into the ether beyond the final stop.

    People are weird, yanno.

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  2. THAT'S IT - Fear of Twilight Zone. And here I've always wanted to meet Rod Serling, dang!

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  3. Maybe habit. They get used to doing it for the normal stops and just can't quell the reflex. I'd do it just to hear the ding, and to mess with the other passengers.

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  4. Having worked for Greyhound Bus Lines for 4 yrs back in the 70's and and 4 more yrs in the late 80's I concluded that all people that rode the bus, drove the bus, and or loaded and unloaded the bus, seemed to be a half bubble off or so myself included! Hope your weekend is a good one my dear!"HUGS"

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  5. So Juan is the one messing with me...ah ha...(writies this in the book)

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